The last year has been a pivotal year for democracy, says Dr Omnia Marzouk, President of Initiatives of Change International. To move forward means also to look honestly at the past and the wounds of history.

Ben Campbell wastes no time in naming hard truths in his new book, Richmond’s Unhealed History. It opens in 1607 with Captain Christopher Newport and his men arriving at the fall line of what is now the James River. They "planted the seed of a great nation with unprecedented opportunity for all human beings; they also planted seeds of economic exploitation, racial discrimination, a hierarchical class system, and a heretical version of Christianity….”

Chris Breitenberg welcomes the intense personal scrutiny of candidates in the US Republican Primaries and says that we could all benefit from the scrutiny of others to help keep us accountable.

At a time when some of us may feel discouraged by political gridlock, ongoing economic hardship, and a range of social problems that can seem so much larger than any one of us, I was reminded this week of the potential for individuals to positively impact their communities. Spending a week engaged with individuals and organizations partnering on The Trust Factor has expanded my hope for positive change, even in a town best known for its cynicism and stagnation.

Since at least the 1960s, public trust has declined in government, business, religion, and other institutions. The parade of lamentable behavior from these institutions has contributed to pervasive skepticism about the authenticity of their missions and the integrity of their leaders.

Memories shape our worldview – and the way we remember shapes our future. This past Sunday marked the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 bombings of the World Trade Center and Pentagon in New York City and Washington, DC, respectively.

Structural poverty is now a greater barrier than race in the USA, which has the greatest income disparity of any developed nation. Yet race and poverty are closely intertwined and we cannot deal with poverty unless we deal with race, says Rob Corcoran.

Applying to study economics in the USA, Trishna Banerjee Nair was asked to write on a number of topics, including 'Is constant honesty necessary for society?' This was her unexpected answer...

President Obama's speech on the Middle East has plenty of empathy for both Israel and Palestine, but something more is needed to engage both sides, writes Zeke Reich from New York.

Osama bin Laden is dead; but terrorism isn’t. The evil of prophets of hatred who justify the killing of thousands of innocents must be confronted - but also cured, writes Mike Brown.